Church of St Peter

Details

SOUTHROP SOUTHROP VILLAGE SP 1903-2003 14/217 Church of St Peter 26.1.61 GV I Parish church. Early C12, C13 chancel and early C14 transept. Restored in 1852; again in 1895. Random rubble limestone with considerable areas of herringbone work; stone slate roof. Nave with north porch, south transept and chancel. C12 round arched north doorway with 2 orders of roll moulding and billetted hoodmould has tympanum with incised diaper pattern; jamb shafts have volute capitals and moulded bases; plank and cover strip door. Double chamfered pointed arch to parapet gabled north porch; trefoil headed image niche above arch. Two windows to nave on north and south sides: one on each being original C12 with deep splays internally; others are 2-light C19 neo-Norman, that on south wall replacing a much larger window of some earlier date. Early English pointed south doorway with plank door. West end of nave rebuilt at several periods; large Perpendicular 3-light window with Rectilinear tracery has line of low-pitched gable end above, part of moulded verge still in situ. Two small lights above were formerly bellcote, totally engulfed in late C19 rebuilding providing new higher bellcote above. Early C14 transept has ogee tracery to south single-light; 2-light in square-headed opening with ogee tracery on east side. Continuous sill-level string course to C13 chancel with 2 east lancets having small quatrefoil centrally above. Three lancets to north and south sides of chancel, one to south with shouldered arched recess below. Shouldered arched priest's doorway on south side. Interior: plain and limewashed, the pure Norman line of nave being interrupted by large round transept arch. C19 hammerbeam roof. Plain C12 round chancel arch with carved imposts; small flanking squints are reset. Small opening at high level above chancel arch with quatrefoil pierced ceiling was aumbry for use with rood loft. Chancel is well articulated by C13 splays to lancets, all with rere-arches. Continuous sill-level string course. C19 hammerbeam chancel roof. Two piscinae on south chancel wall: Early English pillar type and later with moulded trefoil head. Three aumbries on north wall. Two chancel effigies are Sir Thomas Conway and his wife Elizabeth, moved from transept in C19. Scrolled pediment to memorial tablet on south chancel wall with painted inscription: 'THOMAS KEBLA: SEN . GEN: DECESED ANNODMI: 1670'. Moulded mortuary recess on north wall has plain chest - no inscriptions. Memorial to right of chancel arch with Ionic pilasters and broken pediment to Edmond, Son of Thomas Keble, died 1654. Late C19 stone choir screen and curved pulpit front. C12 circular font is very important with well-preserved arcading and figures in relief. Dating from c1180 it was discovered by John Keble during his period as curate here in 1823-5. For full description see David Verey's books. Stained glass in upper east window by Thomas Willement, 1852. This church is important for the extent of surviving Norman work, the font, and its link with John Keble, one of the instigators of the Oxford Movement. (N.M. Herbert, 'Southrop' in V.C.H. Glos. vii, 1981, pp. 129-136; D. Verey, Cotswold Churches, 1976 and Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, 1979)

Listing NGR: SP2021503418

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

127465

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, Cotswold Churches, (1976)
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 1 The Cotswolds, (1970)
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Gloucester, (1981), 129-136

End of official list entry

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